Pedestrian overpass named for fallen soldier from Bridgewater and Immaculata High School in Somerville

Photo by Matthew Hag-manSOLDIER’S MOM Bonnie Lobosco likes the idea of a pedestrian bridge to honor her son’s memory. Some-one walking is more likely to contemplate her son’s sacrifice in Afghanistan. By Matthew Hagman for The Messenger-Gazette

BRIDGEWATER — Even when he was a child, it was clear that Andrew T. Lobosco had plans to serve in the Army.

“My Andrew, ever since a kid, everything was costumes for him. Everything was the flag,” said Bonnie Lobosco from her new home in Easton, Pa. Her hands trembled slightly as she looked through an album containing pictures of her son as a child, dressed in various military get-ups. “He just created and made them. That’s my own makeup that he used so that he could create his own camouflage.”

Lobosco, who grew up in Bridgewater and graduated from Immaculata High School (IHS) in Somerville, was a medical sergeant and Green Beret assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Fort Bragg, N.C. The staff sergeant was killed last August in Yakhchal, Afghanistan, by enemy forces while on his second tour of duty during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Ceremonies scheduled for 3 p.m. today posthumously honored Staff Sgt. Andrew Lobosco by naming the pedestrian bridge linking Somerville and Bridgewater near the Bridgewater Commons mall in his memory. It was hosted by state Sen. Christopher “Kip” Bateman and the Somerset County Freeholder Board.

Photo by Matthew HagmanA BRIDGE CLOSE TO THE HEART - The bridge that will bear the name of Sgt. Andrew Lobosco. It crosses over a Route 22 off-ramp, enabling Immacu-lata High School students to get to the Bridgewater Commons safely.

Other elements of today's scheduled program included remarks by Congressmen Rodney Frelinghuysen and Leonard Lance, Freeholder Director Jack M. Ciattarelli, Somerville Mayor Brian Gallagher and Bridgewater Mayor Patricia Flannery; presenting of the colors by the Bridgewater Police Department honor guard; an invocation by Monsignor Seamus Brennan of Immaculate Conception Church; and patriotic music by the IHS band. Also on the guest list were a contingent of Green Berets, members of the Special Forces Association, the Knights of Columbus from Our Lady of the Hills, Martinsville, members of Bridgewater PBA Local 174 and the Lobosco family.

Although Bateman has spearheaded the bridge memorial effort since October, the idea originated with Steven Wright, 15, of Bridgewater.

Steven, a junior at Immaculata, took special interest in IHS alumnus Sgt. Lobosco after hearing of his death and wanted to honor his memory. Steven, who has never met the sergeant, wrote a detailed letter to Sen. Bateman last October. He described Lobosco’s commitment to serving his country and humankind, and the sacrifice he ultimately made. In the letter Steven suggested that the proper authorities name the pedestrian overpass the “Staff Sgt. Andrew Thomas Lobosco Memorial Bridge.” The proper authorities were the county freeholders.

“I personally love the idea of a walking bridge rather than a driving bridge,” said Mrs. Lobosco. “You drive over a bridge, you see a sign there, but you don’t get to stop and read it.” The bridge is used frequently by Immaculata students to get to the Bridgewater Commons. It takes foot traffic from Mountain Avenue over an off-ramp. That off-ramp takes vehicular traffic from Route 22 to the mall.

Mrs. Lobosco and her husband, Bob, were expecting to meet Steven for the first time at the ceremony.

From a young age, Lobosco geared his entire life — his mind, body and soul — toward serving in the U.S. Army. By the age of 16 he achieved his second-degree Black Belt at Yu’s Institute of Karate and became the youngest instructor, even training local police officers.

Already planning to become a Green Beret, Lobosco went to the Army’s recruiting center soon after 9/11, but there was a waiting list of 18 months. While waiting, he trained locally at the Army post in Somerville and participated in all the various drills, until officially starting life in the Army in early 2004. By 2006 he became a Green Beret and also continued medic training, eventually becoming a Special Forces 18 Delta Medic, earning medals along the way.

Staff Sgt. Lobosco was not only dedicated to the Army, which he loved passionately, but he was highly dedicated to helping others as well. Before leaving for his second tour of duty in July 2009, he asked his father for help in organizing a crutch drive for the people of Afghanistan.

A member of the Knights of Columbus, Mr. Lobosco, along with Andrew and the Knights, was able to set things in motion along with local churches helping to collect crutches. The Knights’ drive soon collected 1,300 pairs of crutches, along with crutch parts, walkers, canes and wheel chairs — all headed for Afghanistan.

Lobosco’s mother says, “I love when people call him ‘warrior, healer, hero.’ I love that phrase. It fits, and that’s exactly what Andy was about.”